Dog GamesHere Are Fun Games To Play With Your Dog!Yes, there are dog games out there that go beyond just throwing a ball. Here’s some ideas of games to play with your dog or puppy that will be fun and provide some always needed excercise for both of you! Catch-Me-If-You-Can One of the most popular dog games pups play with each other is the game of “catch-me”. They delight in being either the chaser or the chasee. Most dogs are more comfortable in the role of chasee when playing with people. Some trainers caution against play-chasing your dog for fear the dog will learn she can evade you. But most dogs already know you are as slow as a slug. Before playing this puppy game, you should teach your dog to come when called and you should use distinctive words to signal the beginning and end of the catch-me game. Begin the dog game with "I'm gonna get you!" and stalk your dog, pouncing at him. Give chase as best you can, but if he leaves you in the dust, either crouch down and wait for him to do a fly-by (when you can pounce at him once again) or turn around and run full blast the opposite way - a sure-fire way to get him headed back in your direction. Some dogs like to
see how close they can pass without hitting you. If you have one of these, stand
perfectly still so you don't run into the dog's path. A high-speed collision
with a dog is very dangerous for both of you. At the end of this dog game, give a
game-over word such as "finished" and call your puppy to you using his regular
recall command. Give him a treat and take a break. Bobbing-For-Treats This dog game will give your dog the ability to pick up
floating or sunken objects from water, plus it's fun watch with other dogs that
join the dog-party! It is basically the canine version of bobbing for apples.
Since no self-respecting dog is going to get his muzzle wet for an apple, all
you need to do is substitute dog biscuits, hot dog slices or other treats.
Experiment to find some that float on top, some that float just below the
surface and some that sink. If you're having a summer pool party, you can use a child's
wading pool and let each dog splash around after the treats. For more formal
affairs you can use a large bowl or pot. There's a reason you don't just fill up
your bathtub, though: One sight of it filled with water and all your doggy
guests will head for the exit, sure you have a dreaded bath planned! Fill your pool or bowl with lukewarm water. If you're using
a bowl or pot, change the water between contestants; if you're using a pool just
empty it after the entire contest. Let each dog have a practice bob until he gets one treat. Then start the
clock and see how many he can grab in two minutes. Can anyone get them
all? A variation on the
theme for a ball-crazy puppy is to fill a kiddie pool with tennis balls. See how
many balls each dog can pick up and give to his person in one minute. The person
is allowed to get in the pool and encourage the dog in any way, and she can take
each ball from the dog as soon as the ball is totally out of the water. The
person can even help by picking up balls herself - of course, using only her
teeth. Tug-Of-War Tug-of-war is one of those dog games that many dog trainers
will caution you against playing. The reasoning is that it pits you against your
dog and, at some point, you invariably allow the dog to win, giving him the idea
he can best you in a battle of strength. For some dogs, this could create
delusions of grandeur. Most dogs, however, already know you are helpless against
them in any war of wills. They learned that when you gave them treats from the
table or allowed them to push you to the little sliver of mattress on the side
of the bed. However, you can preserve the illusion that you're in
control by adding a couple of elements to your game of tug-of-war. The way to do
this dog game is to first teach your puppy to give you a toy when you ask. Ask nicely
"may I?" and offer to exchange a treat for the toy. Repeat this until your dog
learns to trade the toy for a treat whenever you ask. Now you have a way to end
a tug-of-war game in a draw, simply by asking your dog to give you the toy. You
also have a way to start the game by using a special tug toy that you bring out
just for this game. Tell him "tug time!" and entice him to hold on by starting
with gentle, quick small tugs. And of course, use
common sense when you play tug-of-war. Don't jerk your dog's head back and forth
or up and down; neck problems are not uncommon in dogs. Don't allow your puppy
to hang from his teeth; at least his hind feet should always be on the ground.
If he has dental problems, this may not be the best choice of dog game. And dog
trainers are right when it comes to some dogs. Dogs who have a tendency to be
aggressive or domineering with their people should find more cooperative games
to play. Keep-Away This dog game takes advantage of a dogs love to play keep-away. You can practically hear them
giggling as you lunge to grab their prize and they pull it just out of reach.
True, you'd be foolish to teach this dog game to a pup you want to use as a
reliable retriever (a dog playing keep-away with a bird would never be invited
back for a day in the duck blind), but most of us don't have such aspirations.
By using words that tell your dog when the game is beginning and ending, you can
separate it from everyday life and make it clear its not up to him to decide to
start playing. You can also use a
special toy that is dedicated only to playing keep-away. Give him that toy, say
"Thief! Thief!" and give chase. At first he may think you're serious and stop in
his tracks, so you may have to combine it with tug-of-war or other chasing games
to build his confidence. When the game is over, say "you're under arrest" and
ask that he bring you the toy. If he does, reward him. If he doesn't, simply
turn and walk away. The dog games over. Letting him know that even keep-away has
rules helps prevent him from playing keep-away with your car keys when you're
late for work. A Dog Game Your Pup Will Love:
Retrieving-By-Memory Even if they never go hunting, many dogs love to learn the
tricks of hunting retrievers. A busy hunting retriever may have to remember
where several birds fell and bring back every one. Hunters call this marking,
but you don't have to go hunting to enjoy this challenging dog game. Warm up with a few throws where your dog can see exactly
where the item lands. Then throw the retrieving item so it falls just out of
sight, perhaps in tall grass or behind something. Your dog should have no
problem finding and retrieving it. Next, hold your puppy or have him sit and stay until the
item has landed before sending him to retrieve it. As he gets better, make him
wait slightly longer, up to 30 seconds. Now he is using his memory to find an
item he saw land earlier but can't currently see. But can he find two such
items? Probably not at first, unless he can cram them both in his mouth. More
likely he will run to one and then take it to the other and either trade items
or stand there and wonder what to do. You need to show him how to bring them
both back to you, one at a time. If you used the “hallway trick” to teach him to fetch, you
have a head start. That's where you sit in the middle of your hallway and throw
a toy one way and when he brings it back, you immediately throw another toy the
other way. That way he already understands the concept of bringing back
something and immediately leaving for something else. But the hallway doesn't
work for big dogs; there's just not enough room. Besides, you'll be throwing
both items before he brings one back, which makes a big difference. Still, one
concept remains: You need to make it impossible for him to get to the second
item without going past you first. One easy way to do this is to stand at the
corner of your house (or the outside corner of a fenced yard). Another, and more
ambitious, way is to divide your backyard almost in half with temporary fencing
and stand at one end of the fence. In either case, you'll throw one item to one side of the
corner or fence, and the other item to the other side. Let your dog watch both
of them land. Send him first to get the item you threw second; this will make it
easier for him. Encourage him to bring it back and, once he's given it to you,
turn him to face the other object and send him for it. You may have to run part
of the way with him if he seems confused. As he gets more experienced you can back away from the fence
or corner, leaving a gap between it and you. Call him toward you if he forgets
and heads directly to the second item without first bringing the first one to
you. It may take some practice - nobody said this was easy - but eventually
he'll be able to do this in an open field. And that's when it's lots of fun.
You see? Dog Games can come in all shapes and sizes. Check
back on this site from time to time for more games to play with your
dog. Return to Homepage
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